The Basingstoke Canal is a wonderful resource for walkers, cyclists and river craft through the considerable urban sprawl of cycle-friendly Woking, and beyond. Its first miles provide the final (RH fork) section of Spoke 6 and the start of Arc 8b; this spinoff is the ensuing central miles from the Woking suburb of St John's to Fleet. However the towpath is cycleable - and navigable - on as far as Odiham, which is beyond Cycle Orbital territory. The whole ride is unusually rich in birdlife - the kingfisher is the canal's symbol - and treelined almost throughout, whether passing through suburbs or open country.
Not much navigational help needed here* – the canal is your guide, apart from two short road traverses when the towpath changes bank. Until Brookwood 3.7 the surface is largely metalled, and a speed respectful of walkers should be maintained (cycling signs indicating commuting times in minutes have led to conflict issues).
After Brookwood the surface is variable, but mostly good, and the canal rises through a lock sequence and then through a deep cut at Deepcut before turning south and crossing B3012 at 7.2 Frimley Green. The Basingstoke Canal centre at Mytchett 7.9 makes an excellent stop-off, where you can learn more about the canal's history (one of almost instant commercial failure, it has to be said, so its revival as a leisure resource since the 1970's is to be all the more grateful for).
The southern detour is necessitated by the need to cross the River Blackwater valley by aqueduct 10.6 at Ash, after which the westerly route is resumed. Fleet 16.5 is reached through fine countryside near the military lands of Aldershot and Farnborough airfield - and the towpath is well surfaced from the aqueduct westwards. And if that is enough canal riding, the station is a mile away through the town centre.
* However, upon a revision ride in May 2023, I resolved to cycle on. I had heard that the towpath was cycleable right up to Odiham, but of deteriorating quality, but other conversations indicated otherwise, and so it proved: the four miles on to Winchfield had excellent sections of newly improved towpath, and only short sections of slow going. So the new terminus is at Winchfield Hurst 21.4 - and a delightful spot it is. When I arrived a sketching party was revelling in the beauty of the scene; bridge, willows, canal and new-leaved trees. There is a carpark and launch jetty for kayaks or paddleboards.
As I cycled, a plan was emerging; it is tough riding for so long offroad on variable surfaces, but rather than taking the train back (from Winchfield, or Fleet), I had noticed roads shadowing the canal for some time; how about a ride on 20 miles of towpath, then an easier 20 on roads back to Woking?
The recce turned out eventful, as this is prime military land, and one cycleway to Farnborough and one industrial estate both required security passes to use. Back, and try again! But the eventually confirmed road route - which both crosses and hugs the canal frequently making it easy to jump ship at any point - is one of pleasant villages (Dogmersfield 22.2 and Crockham 22.7) first, then cycleways through Farnborough to Frimley once more 31.4, over the hill where the canal employs its deep cut at Deepcut, before a final flourish; a detour R 34.5 to pass through a cemetery.
Yes - it is possible to ride (respectfully) through Brookwood Cemetery, the extravagant project of the London Necropolis Company (and Necropolis Railway!) in the 1850's. After which you can resume 36.5 the final (metalled) miles of towpath through the Woking suburbs.
